GB2462088A - Fire assembly with a removable surround and a flexible control linkage - Google Patents

Abstract

A fire assembly 1 has a fuel burner 14 and fuel valve 20 mounted within a firebox 2, a removable surround 4 framing the firebox 2 and a valve control 40 mounted to the surround 4, operatively connected to the valve 20 by a flexible linkage 25, such that movement of the valve control 40 actuates the flexible linkage 25 to operate the valve 20. The flexible linkage 25 may be a linear push/pull cable capable of exerting both tensile and compressive forces. The valve control 40 may comprise a rotatable control dial and a rotary-to-linear convertor for converting rotary movement of the dial to linear movement. The flexible linkage 25 may comprise an inner cable section and an outer sheath, the inner cable being moveable relative to the outer sheath, similar to a Bowden cable. The preferred valve 20 is a linear slide valve. The fire may be gas fuelled and it can be flueless and wall mounted.

Description

A FIRE ASSEMBLY

The present invention relates to a fire assembly, and in particular to a fire assembly having a removable surround.

Flueless gas fires have become increasingly popular as they provide the look and feel of conventional gas fires, without requiring the use of a flue. This significantly simplifies the installation process, and enables the fires to be installed in rooms without chimneys or other venting points. In addition, the removal of the design constraints associated with the requirement to connect to a flue has enabled such fires to be designed with more contemporary appearances.

Tt is common for flueless fires to be mounted to a wall, to provide a decorative focal point.

Such wall mounted designs typically comprise a firebox, including a gas burning element, and a surround for framing the firebox and providing the distinctive appearance of the fire.

To assist in installation of the fire, the surround maybe removable and installed separately and subsequently to the firebox.

Operation of a gas fire requires a control for activating a gas valve within the firebox. It is important that such a control is provided at an accessible position for the user. It is also an important consideration that the control is not positioned at a location which detracts from the appearance of the fire. Typically, for simplicity the gas controls for fires are mounted on the firebox, where the gas valve and burner are located, and are connected directly to the gas valve.

However, surrounds which completely frame the firebox, restrict access to any control mounted on the firebox. Providing access to a control on mounted to the firebox would detract from the visual appearance of the surround. It is therefore desirable to provide a control for use with a fireplace having a removable surround, which is ergonomically accessible, and which does not detract from the visual appearance of the surround.

One solution for linking a valve to a firebox mounted control is to provide a direct connection between the two, as shown in Figure 1. A control knob is connected to a spindle which connects directly to the valve. However, as burner valves are conventionally located in the base of a firebox, this requires the control to be placed towards the base of the surround, in a position awkward to reach by the user. In addition, a direct rigid connect of this type requires exact alignment of the control with the valve, which necessitates the control being mounted to the firebox.

Another known linkage mechanism is shown in Figure 2. Rigid linking rods attach to the control and operatively link it to the valve. This allows the control to be positioned in a more ergonomically convenient and easily accessible location. However, the rigid nature of the linking rods requires a direct connection to the firebox. In addition, linking rod mechanisms of this type are difficult to assemble and install, which increases the cost of manufacture.

An alternative to locating the control on the firebox is to provide a remote control actuator for the valve, which obviates the need for a manual control at all. However, such controls are prohibitively expensive for most fires. Furthermore, regulations require remote control fires to have a manual back up control. In the case of a firebox completely framed by a surround, access to the such a manual back up would be obstructed and therefore this solution would not be feasible.

Tt is therefore desirable to provide an improved fire assembly and control arrangement which addresses the above described problems and/or which offers improvements generally.

According to the present invention there is provided a fire assembly, and a control mechanism for a fire, as described in the accompanying claims.

In an embodiment of one aspect of the invention there is provided a fire assembly comprising a firebox; a fuel burner mounted within the firebox for producing a flame; a valve mounted to the firebox for controlling the supply of fuel to the burner; a removable surround for framing at least a portion of the firebox; a valve control mounted to the surround; and a flexible linkage for operatively connecting the valve and valve control, such that movement of the valve control actuates the flexible linkage to operate the valve.

Mounting a control to a removable surround enables access to the control, despite the firebox being concealed by the surround. The removability of the surround is accommodated by the flexibility of the linkage, which enables the control on the surround to be operatively linked to the valve. As the flexible linkage is able to move during installation of the removable surround, it provides a high adjustment factor, and as such does not require the surround to be mounted in an exact position relative to the firebox, as would be required if a rigid linkage were used. Hence the tolerances of the interface between the firebox and the surround are greatly decreased, thereby significantly improving the ease of manufacture and installation of the fire, and reducing cost.

The valve control may comprise a rotatable control dial connected to a rotary-to-linear convertor. The flexible linkage is connected to the rotary-to-linear convertor at a first end, and to the valve at an opposing second end. Rotation of the control dial causes linear movement of the flexible cable which in turn actuates linear movement of the valve to operate the valve and vary the flow of gas theretFirough. The use of a rotary dial enables a small and unobtrusive control to be provided which does not detract from the visual appearance of the surround. In addition, a rotary control is able to accomodate any stretch which may occur in the cable during use.

Preferably the valve is a linear slide valve having an operating shaft which is movable in a first direction to increase the flow of gas to the burner, and in a second opposite direction to decrease the flow of gas. The flexible linkage may comprise a cable having an inner cable section and an outer sheath. The inner cable is moveable relative to the outer sheath.

As such, the outer sheath may be clamped to hold the linkage in position, while the inner cable is able to be moved to operate the valve. As such, the flexible cable is able to operate as a push/pull cable capable of applying both tensile and compressive forces. The cable is therefore able to push the operating shaft in one the first and second directions, and pull the shaft in the opposite direction.

The fire assembly may be a flueless fire assembly, and is configured to be mounted to a wall.

In another aspect of the invention there is provided a control mechanism for a fire assembly having a firebox and a removable surround. The mechanism comprises a valve for controlling the supply of gas to a burner, a control configured to mounted to a removable surround remotely to the valve, and a flexible linkage configured to operatively connect the control to the valve, such that movement of the valve control actuates the flexible linkage to operate the valve.

Preferably the control is a rotary controller, and includes arotary-to-linear convertor, with the flexible linkage being connected to the rotary to linear convertor at a first end and to the valve at a second end.

The present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the following illustrative figures in which: Figure 1 shows part of a gas fire with a prior art direct connection between the control knob and the gas valve; Figure 2 shows a prior art fire with a linkage bar mechanism connecting the control knob and the gas valve; Figure 3 shows a fire assembly according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 shows the fire assembly of figure 3 with the surround represented in phantom to show details of the inner fire assembly; Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the fire assembly of figure 4 showing the valve mechanism in more detail; Figure 6 is an enlarged rear view showing the control and linkage of the fire assembly of figure 4 in more detail; Figure 7 is an exploded view of the fire assembly of figure 3; and Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view of the rotatary-to-linear converter of the fire assembly of figure 6.

Referring to figure 1, a flueless fire assembly 1 is shown. The fire assembly 1 is a heating apparatus, configured to be preferably installed in a domestic environment. The fire assembly 1 generally comprises a firebox 2 and a surround 4, and is preferably configured to be wall mounted.

The firebox 2, as shown in figure 2, includes a housing 6 including several attachment points (not shown) for mounting the firebox 2 to a wall or similar structure. The housing 6 includes a viewable display section 8, which functions as a heating chamber. A gas burner 14 is positioned at the base of the display section 8 and mounted on the support shelf 15. The gas burner 14 is configured to produce a flame which is viewable within the display section 8 through a glass panel 12. The flame produced by the gas burner 14 may be used for heating and/or may be a decorative flame provided for aesthetic reasons.

The glass panel 12 has a surrounding frame that connects to the front of the housing 6, and seals the display section 8 while allowing the interior to be viewed therethrough. The glass panel 12 may be transparent, semi opaque, or one-way glass. The display section 8 may include a reflective rear panel, decorative coals, or other components designed to enhance the visual appearance of the fire.

A gas valve 20 is mounted within a base section 10 of the housing 6, and controls the flow of gas to the burner 14. The gas valve 20 is supported by a bracket assembly 30, having a pair of legs 32 which connect to the rear and base walls 16,18 of the housing 6, and a cross brace 34 to which the gas valve 20 is connected. The gas valve 20, as shown in more detail in figure 5, is a linear slide valve, having an operating shaft 24 slidingly supported within a body section 22. The inlet of the gas valve 20 is configured for connection to a mains gas supply, and the outlet connects to the gas burner 14. Sliding movement of the operating shaft 24 alters the flow of gas between the inlet and outlet (not shown) of the valve 20.

Specifically, the operating shaft 24 is movable between a closed position, in which no gas flows to the outlet, and maximum and mininuirn operating positions, in which maximum and minimum operating volumes of gas flow to the outlet respectively. The linear nature of the operating shaft 24 also enables it to be movable to an ignition position in which it operates the ignition system to ignite the burner 14, before continuing further in the same direction to control the gas flow. In contrast, a rotary controller must be pushed inwardly and then turned in a first direction to activate ignition, and then released and turned in an opposing direction to control the gas flow, making them difficult to remotely operate.

The surround 4, as shown in figure 6, is a hollow, box-type constmction, formed from a plurality of panels defining an outer shell 7. The surround 4 is configured to be mounted to, and removable from the firebox 2 and comprises a pair of inner brackets (not shown) which connect with a corresponding pair of brackets 11 fixed to the face of the housing 6 of the firebox 2. The surround 4 frames the firebox 2, concealing the firebox housing 6, and the attachment points mounting the firebox 2 to the wall, and defining a window through which the display section 8 may be viewed.

The shape and appearance of the surround 4 is configured to provide the fire 1 with a desired visual appearance. In the embodiment shown in figure 3, the surround 4 is shaped to provide a cubic, contemporary appearance. It will be appreciated that the surround 4 may be formed in any number of shapes and configurations, and may include any suitable material finish to provide the fire 1 with a pleasing visual appearance.

The firebox 2 is concealed by the removable surround 4, with the exception of the display section 8. As such, a control connected directly to the firebox 2, as is typical in the prior art, would be inaccessible once the surround 4 was mounted to the firebox2. Therefore, in accordance with the invention, a control 40 for the valve 20 is provided on the surround 4, and is operatively connected to the gas valve 20.

A direct rigid connection to connect the control 40 to the valve 20, such as the knob and spindle arrangement shown in figure 1, is unsuitable for a surround mounted control, as it would require the removable surround 4 to be mounted extremely accurately to the firebox 2, necessitating a high tolerance mounting and increasing the difficulty and hence cost of manufacture and installation.

The linkage rod arrangement, as shown in figure 1, would also be unsuitable, as it would again require the removable surround 4 to be capable of being mounted extremely accurately to the firebox 2 in order for the control 40 to connect to the linkages. A further disadvantage of such linkage mechanisms is that they require a slide control. The distance of travel requires a relatively long slide control, which is obtrusive and would detract from the visual appearance of the surround 4. In addition, connection of such a linkage mechanism would be hindered, with the surround 4 obstructing the linkage mechanism when in position. In both the spindle and linkage arrangements, misalignment between the control 40 and a rigid linkage would result in malfunction or failure of the control mechanism.

Therefore, in accordance with the invention, a flexible linkage 25 is provided to operatively connect the control 40 to the valve 20. The flexible linkage 25 in this embodiment is a cable connected at a first end to the gas valve 20, and at a second end to the control 40, as shown in Figure 5. The flexible linkage 25 includes an inner cable 26, and an outer cable sheath 28, and operates in a similar manner to a bowden cable, with the inner cable 26 being movable relative to the outer sheath 28.

The inner cable 26 is preferably a flexible push-pull cable, capable of exerting both tensile and compressive forces. Specifically, the inner cable 26 is able to be moved in a first direction in which it pushes the operating shaft 24, and in a second direction in which it pulls the operating shaft 24. The combination of a linear valve and linear push pull cable is preferable over a rotary valve and cable arrangement, as rotary cables are more prone to stretching and distortion. In addition, linear actuation provides a greater degree of control over the distance of travel between the control 40 and valve 20.

The inner cable 26 is connected at a first end 27 to the operating shaft 24 by a cable connector 25. The outer sheath 28 is secured to the bracket 30 proximate the first end 27 by clamps 36. The clamps 36 hold the outer sheath 28 in a fixed position, while allowing the inner cable 26 to move relative to the outer sheath 28.

The second end 29 of the inner cable 26 connects to the control 40. The linear nature of the push/pull cable 25 requires linear actuation to be provided by the control 40. However, as discussed above, a linear controller would detract from the visual appearance of the surround. Therefore, the control 40 preferably includes a rotary control dial 42, which is rotated to selectively increase or decrease the gas flow to the burner 14, thereby increasing or decreasing the temperature and/or height of the flame. To convert the rotary movement of the dial 42 to a linear movement to actuate the linkage cable 25, the control 40 also includes a rotary-to-linear convertor 44. Providing a rotary control dial 42 also mitigates against the problem of cable stretch. Linear slide controls have a specific and limited length of travel. As such, as a cable stretches in use, the slide control is no longer able to operate across its maximum range. In contrast, the rotary dial 42 may be increasingly rotated along alonger rotational distance of travel to accommodates any stretch in the inner cable 26.

The rotary-to-liner convertor 44 is shown in more detail in figure 8, and comprises a housing 45 which supports a helical shaft 46, and a slide member 47 having a pair of pins 48 which engage opposing sides of the helical shaft 46. The helical shaft 46 is connected to the dial 42. Rotation of the dial 42 causes the helical shaft 46 to rotate. As the helical shaft 46 rotates, a first surface of the helical shaft engages a first one of the pins 48, moving the pin 48 in a first linear direction, thereby causing linear movement of the slide member 47.

The slide member 47 is connected to the second end 29 of the inner cable 26, and the outer sheath 27 is connected to (he housing 45. As such, when (he siide member 47 is moved linearly, the outer sheath 27 is held in position relative to the housing 44 while the inner cable 26 is moved by the slide member 47 in a first pulling direction. Similarly, when the helical shaft 46 is rotated in a second opposite direction it engages the second one of the pins 48 causing the slide member 47 and hence causes the inner cable 26 to move linearly in a second pushing direction. Hence, rotational movement of the dial 42 is converted to a linear push/pull movement of the inner cable 26.

To install the fire 1, the firebox 2 is first mounted to a wall using a suitable securing mechanism such as screws, which fix the firebox 2 to the wall via the attachment points of the housing 6. The gas supply for the gas burner 14 is then connected to the inlet of the valve 20. The valve 20 is then connected to the control 40 by the flexible linkage 25, by connecting the second end 29 of the inner cable 26 to the slide member 47 of the rOtary-to--linear converter 44.

The flexible linkage 25 enables the inner cable 26 to be connected to the control 40 prior to the surround 4 being connected to the firebox 2. The surround 4 is then inserted over the firebox 2 such that the brackets of the surround 4 engage with the brackets 11 of the firebox 2. The brackets 11 support the surround 4, and hold it in a position in which it frames the firebox 2, and at its rear edge abuts the wall to which the fire 1 is mounted.

With the wall attachments concealed, the surround 4 gives the fire 1 a "floating" appearance.

The flexible linkage 25 enables the surround 4 to be moved relative to the firebox 2 without disconnection between the control 40 and the valve 20, and as such enables the surround 4 to be more easily installed. Moreover, as the linkage 25 moves within the surround 4 once connected thereto, there is no requirement for a high tolerance mounting of the surround 4 to the firebox 2, with the flexible linkage 25 providing a high adjustment factor.

It will be appreciated that in further embodiments various modifications to the specific arrangements described above and shown in the drawings may be made. For example, while the embodiment described comprises a wall mounted fire, it will be appreciated that the invention may be applied to any fire having a firebox and a a removable surround. In addition, while the surround is described as being mounted directly to the firebox, it may also be directly to the wall as well as or instead of being mounted to the firebox.

Claims (14)

1. CLAIMS1. A fire assembly comprising: a firebox; a removable surround for framing at least a portion of the firebox; a fuel burner mounted within (he firebox for producing a flame; a valve mounted to the firebox for controlling the supply of fuel to the burner; a valve control mounted to the removable surround; and a flexible linkage for operatively connecting the valve and valve control, such that movement of the valve control actuates the flexible linkage to operate the valve.
2. 2. The fire assembly of claim 1 wherein the flexible cable is a linear push/pull cable capable of exerting both tensile and compressive forces.
3. 3. The fire assembly of claim 2 wherein the valve control comprises a rotatable control dial and a rotary-to-linear convertor for converting rotary movement of the dial to linear movement.
4. 4. The fire assembly of claim 3 wherein the flexible linkage is connected to the rotary-to-linear convertor at a first end, and to the valve at an opposing second end, such that rotation of the control dial causes linear movement of the flexible cable to operate the valve.
5. 5. The fire assembly of any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the flexible linkage comprises an inner cable section and an outer sheath, the inner cable being moveable relative to the outer sheath.
6. 6. The fire assembly of anypreceding claim wherein the valve is a linear slide valve.
7. 7. The fire assembly of any preceding claim wherein the fire assembly is a flueless fire assembly configured to be mounted to a wall.
8. 8. A control mechanism for a fire assembly having a firebox and a removable surround, the mechanism comprising: a valve for controlling the supply of gas to a burner; a valve control configured to mounted to a removable surround remotely to the valve; and a flexible linkage configured to operatively connect the control to the valve, such that movement of the valve control actuates the flexible linkage to operate the valve, wherein the valve control comprises a rotatable control dial and a rotary-to-linear convertor for converting rotary movement of the dial to linear movement.
9. 9. The control mechanism of claim 8 wherein the flexible cable is a push/pull cable capable of exerting both tensile and compressive forces.
10. 10. The control mechanism of claim 9 wherein the flexible linkage is connected to the rotary-to-linear convertor at a first end, and to the valve at an opposing second end, such that rotation of the control dial causes linear movement of the flexible cable to operate the valve.
11. 11. The control mechanism of any one of claims 8 to 10 wherein the flexible linkage comprises an inner cable section and an outer sheath, the inner cable being moveable relative to the outer sheath.
12. 12. The fire assembly of any one of claims 8 to 12 wherein the valve is a linear slide valve.
13. 13. A fire assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and/or as shown in figures 1 to 8.
14. 14. A control mechanism for a fire assembly having a firebox and a removable surround substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and/or as shown in figures 1 to 8.